Short answer… NO, WE DO NOT.
While it is true that we may use tools such as NotePerformer and various other VST (Virtual Studio Technology) Instruments, these are never used to generate 100% AI (Artificial Intelligence) content.
Many hours of manual work goes into creating our content, both audio and visual. None of our content is intended to cause harm to anyone. Hopefully, we can explain our use of tools in a way that’s easy to understand and that we DO NOT steal, deep fake, impersonate, use 100% AI generated content and so on.
Unfortunetly, Google’s/YouTube’s use of the phrase “Altered Content” is very misleading and ambiguous. By the word “altered”, it can easily apply to 99% of all videos and audio ever uploaded to the platform. It’s like saying if you make any kind of edits such as cutting out parts of a gameplay video with commentary that went wrong or adding some catchy sound effects, that too is “Altered Content”.
Unfortunetly, when most people see the term “Altered Content”, they’ll think “Oh, it’s generated by AI. AI uses stolen works without peoples permission. I hate it!” (Also see our post about The Use of AI in Our Work)
- QA about “Altered Content” relating to out content
- Use of NotePerformer
- Use of Vocaloid
- Use of Notation Software and DAW
- Useful Terms
QA about “Altered Content” relating to out content:
- Are you altering your content in a way that might mislead or confuse people?
No — it is never our intention to do anything of the sort. If we have done something without being aware that something may be misleading or deceptive in any way, please contact us immediately. - Making a real person appear to say or do something they didn’t do?
No — However, it is not clear whether it applies to sampled sounds of a real persons’ voice. For example, Vocaloid or other voice synthesisers; while samples are recorded from a real person, they are only samples not intended to be used in a way to deceive, mislead or confuse people. Does this also refer to voice changers where AI is used to make someone sound like someone else (either real or non-real) without deceiving others into thinking that the orginal voice actor appeared to say or do something? Also, wouldn’t this descriminate against people who are unable to speak and rely on the use of a device to simulate speaking and those who wish to speak as the opposite gender (with no intention of making the original voice actor appear to say or do something they didn’t do or cause any other harm due to the use of said voice)? - Synthetically generating music?
No? — This is poorly descibed by Google/YouTube. “Synthetic Music” is defined as “the production of sound that originates electronically from scratch by either analog or digital circuitry” so is this to say that music which was manually edited and recorded in a DAW by means of MIDI and/or VST samples are “Altered Content”? Otherwise, are they only referring to sounds whose origins derive from real sources or real-life events? If so, then the answer is no,
Use of NotePerformer
NotePerformer is an Artificial Intelligence-based playback engine.
Please note however that NotePerformer IS NOT a Generative AI. It only uses AI to create more a convincing sound by analysing your score and performing all instruments with natural musical phrasing. It is not something that will generate a whole piece of music or song for you. While Google/YouTube lists “Synthetically generating music”, this does not apply to NotePerformer.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of about NotePerformer and reasons as to why its use does not fall under YouTube’s “Altered Content”:
- It cannot compose, arrange or transcribe any form of music.
- It does not and cannot replace sounds of a real recording.
- It uses only digital samples and synthesis.
- It is not derived from a real source that could be mistaken as coming from that source.
- It does not and cannot alter or edit real sources.
- It does not use stolen works, samples, recordings etc.
Use of Vocaloid
Please note that Vocaloid IS NOT a Generative AI. It only uses AI as part of its workflow to help create more a convincing sound by analysing MIDI data, waveforms and so on. It is not something that will generate a whole piece of music or song for you. While Google/YouTube lists “Synthetically generating music”, this does not apply to Vocaloid.
- It cannot compose, arrange or transcribe any form of music.
- It does not and cannot replace sounds of a real person.
- It uses only digital samples based on a real persons voice with their permission.
- It is not derived from a real source that could be mistaken as coming from that source.
- It does not and cannot alter or edit real sources.
- It does not use stolen works, samples, recordings etc.
- It is not used to impersonate a real person
Use of Notation Software and DAW
Please not that while we do use Sibelius and Cubase, none of these use AI in any way. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to upgrade my license to the latest versions that may use AI and even if I could, I would not rely heavily on the use of AI. I am a professional musician and would rather only use AI features as a tool to support my work if necessary but never for the entire process of creating music.
These software and my use of them:
- Cannot and will not use Generative AI to compose, arrange or transcribe as such to produce entire works of music, songs or other forms of audio, lyrics or literature from nothing.
- Will use only my own, real, live recordings.
- Will use digital samples via VST and VSTi that requires additional editing and/or modifications.
- Will not use derived works from a real sources that could be mistaken as coming from that source.
- Will not alter or edit real sources.
- Will not use stolen works, samples, recordings etc.
- Will not replace sounds of a real person.
- Will not impersonate a real person.
Useful Terms
Generative AI
Generative AI or generative artificial intelligence refers to the use of AI to create new content, like text, images, music, audio and videos. It creates original content in response to a user’s prompt or request.
This post WAS NOT created by means of AI nor was AI involved in any way as a tool for creating this post. All research was done by Studio KonKon using external sources for the purpose of validating information and preventing the spread of misinformation.